Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 6 April 1911, Page 618

Diocesan News

♦ —; —■■■ ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) April 1. The Conference of the General Chapter of the Marist Fathers concluded last Tuesday. The Conference lasted practically a week, and a great deal of business was disposed of. A euchre party organised by the lady stallholders of the bazaar, which is to be held at Easter for the Northlands school-chapel, took place last evening in the schoolroom, Guildford Terrace, and proved very successful. Much sympathy is felt for Mr. M. J. McGahey (president of the Sacred Heart branch of the H.A.C.B. Society) at the loss he has sustained in the recent death of his father, which occurred at Oamaru— R.I.P. Mr. J. R. Hunt, who left "Wellington at the beginning of the year for Sydney, has recently suffered the loss of his father, whose death occurred in Melbourne. Mr. Hunt's many friends in Wellington will sympathise with him in his bereavement. —R.I.P. Very Rev. Father O'Shea, S M., V.G., journeyed to Wanganui to install the Rev. Father Holley, S.M., as parish priest of that important portion of the archdiocese. Tho Very Rev. Dean Grogan will, prior to taking up new work, visit the South Sea Islands for the benefit of his health.

The continued fine weather is assisting the progress of the erection of the Catholic presbytery at Carterton. Mr. A. R. Wallis is the contractor for the work. The Rev. Father • Bowe is recovering from his recent accident. On Sunday Mass at St. Mary's Church was celebrated by the Rev. Father Bouzaid. There was Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Joseph's Church, Buckle street, last Sunday. The Rev. Father Bartley, S.M., M.A., of St. Patrick's College, preached a very impressive sermon, after which there was a procession of the Blessed Sacrament, in which the members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Children of Mary, and children of the schools took part. The forthcoming festival to be held in the Town Hall at Easter in aid of the Northlands school-chapel will be rather novel in that it is proposed to introduce at it for the first time in New Zealand what is known as indoor sports. These have lately been very popular in the United States, and there is every prospect of their meeting with equal favor here. A large programme of cycle and foot races has been drawn up, besides which a monster tug-of-war will be held. Inter-college high jumps will also be a feature of the programme.

A meeting of the St. Patrick's Day celebration committee was held last Tuesday evening, Rev. Father Hickson presiding. Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M. (Provincial), was also present and complimented the committee on the success attained. Letters from the Acting Prime Minister, the Hons. G. Fowlds, J. A. Millar, T. Mackenzie. R. McKenzie, and D. Buddo, and others were read, all complimenting the committee on the successful result of their labors. Returns to hand disclosed a very satisfactory position. The takings for the day amounted to £9O, and the night to £l5O. After paying expenses, it is anticipated to have the substantial credit balance of £IOO to carry forward for next year's celebrations.

A farewell entertainment took place last evening, when Mr. Peter Clarke, a prominent member of the Catholic Club, who is leaving Wellington to join Dr. Bell in the capacity of private secretary, was the guest of honor. There were several competitions, and a very enjoyable time was spent with songs, recitations, whistling, and flute solos. Miss A. Segrief and Mr. Ellers contributed songs, Mr. Borneo Gardiner whistling solos, Mr. McDonald flute solos, and Miss R. Segrief recitations. Miss Doris Webb proved to be the winner of one of the competitions. Some of those present were the Misses Segrief (3), Mrs. Healey, the Misses Williams (2), Webb (2), Simon, Dr. and Messrs. Gallagher, Gardiner, Ellers, and Clarke.

In connection with the pubilee celebrations of the Rev. Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, one of the competitions, in which the prize was a gold watch, was decided in a novel way last Thursday. On Monday morning last the watch was, in the presence of a committee, wound up and set afc 10.30 o'clock by the Mayor (Mr T M. Wilford), and then sealed _ up in an envelope. On Thursday morning the ■■ opening ceremony' took place, the decision of the competition, resting upon the time at which the watch had run down. The Mayor, Mrs. T. G. McCarthy, Mrs. Ryland, Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald, and Mr. Jas. Mcßean were present, and when the envelope was opened the hands of the watch indicated 26 minutes and one second past one o'clock. ■ Miss Conrick was declared to be the winner.

The annual -conference of Federated Catholic Clubs ! of the Dominion is to be held this year at Christchurch. Proceedings will commence on Easter Saturday morning, and will probably be opened by his Lordship Bishop Grimes Each club is entitled to representation according fo its

numerical strength. The Wellington Club will be represented by two of its members, and in order to defray their expenses a concert and drama were given in St. Peter's Scnoolroom last night. The audience was a large one, and the capital programme was much enjoyed. The principal item of the evening was the farce, 'A Dead Shot,' and the performers Maureen Griffin, Daisy McGrath, and Messrs. T. V. Leydon, W. Keany, F. Leydon, G. McNamara, C. Pfaff, and M. Finnigan-4iandled their parts well. A concert programme was given by Mrs. Dunn, Misses Out-trim and McLaughlin, and Messrs. A. Foote, Dunn, J. Parker, C. Girdleston, and P. McCarthy. The quarterly meeting of the Hibernian Society (St. Patrick's branch) was held on Monday in St. Patrick's Hall, Boulcott street. There was a large attendance of members, over which Bro. W. J. Feeney (branch president) presided. Reports from the secretaries of the band and St. Patrick's Day celebration committees were received. The band committee was authorised to purchase a set of chanters for practice purposes. A letter from the Sinn Fein National Council, Dublin, appealing for financial assistance, was read and discussed, and it was resolved to reply that the Hibernian Society has no sympathy whatever with the Sinn Fein movement. A letter of invitation from the Rechabite Order for representative Hibernians to be present at the reception of two of their chief officers, who are now on their way to New Zealand from England, was received, and the president, past president, and secretary were deputed to attend the function as representing the H.A.C.B. Society. Bro. R. P. O'Shaughnessy, past president of the Christchurch branch, was present, and addressed the meeting. The Rev. Father Venning, S.M., chaplain to the society, who could not attend owing to his absence from Wellington, wrote and complimented the society on the splendid arrangements made for the annual Communion and breakfast and St. Patrick's Day celebrations. He predicted a great future for the society if it continued its present progressive policy. The receipts of the evening amounted to £IOO.